Wine Lovers Index 2024
Whether packing your luggage ready for the holiday season or having a fancy meal, there is a wine for every occasion. From differences in climate to grape varieties, every city offers unique wine characteristics.
If you are a wine lover but don’t know where to start when it comes to exploring, don’t worry - we’ve got you covered! By compiling a range of factors, including wine production, the number of wine-tasting tours, and the average bottle cost, the travel and luggage experts at Bounce have revealed which nations are the best places to travel for wine lovers.
The 10 best countries for wine connoisseurs
- Portugal - 8.96 /10 overall score
Portugal retains its title as the best country for wine lovers, scoring 8.96 /10. Portugal has a rich history with wine, and because of this, many travel here specifically to experience its fruit-filled vineyards. The proximity of wine regions to Lisbon makes the city a perfect destination for wine lovers looking to sample the country's amazing vintages or take part in a wine-tasting experience.
Portugal has many varieties of wine, but the Douro region (which includes Porto) is home to some of the most iconic, including port and red grape varieties like the Touriga Nacional.
As well as having one of the largest productions of wine (71.5 liters per person), Portugal's wine won't break the bank, as this country has the most affordable wine out of our top three, with a bottle setting you back $5.14 on average (£4.02 | €4.67).
- Italy - 8.68 /10 overall score
Italy may have narrowly missed out on the top spot, but it is still highly passionate about its wine. From Lazio in the capital city of Rome to the southernmost region of Sicily, vineyards are nationwide, occupying more than 2.3% of the country’s total surface area.
With 61.2 wine-tasting tours per million people, you will find plenty of guided experiences in whichever region you visit, making Italy perfect for wine-loving tourists. But don’t worry if you can’t make it to Italy, as they have the most significant wine export volume of all the countries on our list (21.366 million hectoliters).
- France & Spain - 7.92 /10 overall score
France and Spain have both climbed the ranking compared to their overall scores in the 2023 edition of this index. With a score of 7.92/10, their identical scores complete our top three list of the best areas for wine lovers.
France has been producing wine for so long that it has become part of its personality. Wine-tasting tours are dotted all over the country, and its capital, Paris, is no exception. From the cooler weather of the Champagne region to the Mediterranean temperatures down south in cities such as Cannes or Nice, varying climates across France help this country to produce a diverse portfolio of wine. Although a bottle of wine in France may be slightly pricier than in other countries on average ($7.70 | £6.02 | €7.00), consumption is still high (35.8 liters per person).
Meanwhile, Spain may not have the largest wine consumption (20.3 liters per person), but this European country is among the biggest distributors on our list, with an export volume of more than 20 million hl in the last year alone.
The 10 worst countries for wine connoisseurs
- China - 1.18 /10 overall score
While you may have to do your research to find a wine-tasting tour in China, this country has seen a massive spike in everything wine-related over the last couple of decades. The northwestern region of Xinjiang currently produces the largest amount of this alcoholic beverage.
Wine is generally used in China as a symbol of wealth and status, and it is common to receive high-quality wine as a gift on special occasions. More than 684 million liters of wine are consumed in China, but due to the sheer number of people in this country, this equates to just 0.5l per person.
- Japan - 1.53 /10 overall score
Japan appears next, scoring 1.53 /10. This East Asian country may not be known for its wine exports, but figures show that the people here consumed more than 323 million liters of the drink in 2023. Osaka, in particular, has a lot of wine bars and wineries dotted across the city.
Muscat Bailey A is one of the most popular grape varieties in Japan. It is used to make a light red wine that pairs well with sushi and ramen, staple foods in the region. As incredible as the wine is, you should take plenty of spending money if you are visiting here on a wine-related holiday as it is not cheap, with a bottle costing around $8.16 (£6.35 | €7.40) on average.
- Brazil - 1.60 /10 overall score
Brazil completes our ranking with an overall score of 1.60 /10. Brazilian wine is relatively affordable, with an average bottle costing $7.33 (£5.71 | €6.65). However, with only 59,000 hectoliters exported in 2023, it may be trickier to obtain if you live outside the country.
Brazil has developed a reputation for its annual wine and food festivals, including the Festa da Uva, which takes place just north of Porto Alegre and showcases the country's wine — a great way to experience the fruits of Brazil's labor.
The biggest wine consumers per person
- Portugal - 52.25 liters per person
Portugal drinks more wine per person than any other country. In 2023 alone, this southern European country consumed 550 million liters, which equates to around 52 liters per person. In terms of standard bottles of wine, this is the equivalent of drinking almost 70 bottles annually.
The biggest wine producer per person
- Moldova - 71.49 liters per person
Moldova produces more wine than any other country, totaling 71.49 liters per person. While most wine produced here comes from white grape varieties, it is also known for making some award-winning red wines, including Cabernet Sauvignon.
The country with the most vineyards
- Moldova - vineyard size is 3.44% of total surface area
After being revealed as the most prominent wine producer, it may be no surprise that Moldova is also home to plenty of vineyards. Compared to its size, Moldova has the biggest wine-producing coverage on our list, with vineyards making up 3.44% of the entire country’s surface area.
The country with the most wine tours & tastings per person
- Portugal - 61.2 wine-tasting tours per million people
Wine is produced in 14 regions across Portugal, and there are hundreds of wine-tasting tours across the country, each showcasing the area’s history with wine and its unique characteristics. For every million people in Portugal, there are around 61 wine-tasting tours to sink your teeth (and lips) into, with many departing from prominent cities such as Lisbon.
The cheapest country for wine
- Argentina - $3.50 | £2.73 | €3.19
Argentina remains the cheapest country for wine, with an average price of just $3.50 (£2.73 | €3.19) a bottle. Low labor costs and abundant land are among the factors that make this country’s wine more affordable than others. Having said this, the quality of wine here is still high-end, with wine regions spanning across Mendoza, Salta, La Rioja, and San Juan.
The world’s biggest wine exporters
- Italy - 21,366,000 hl
Italy remains the world's top wine exporter, supplying more than 21.3 million hectoliters in 2023 alone. While many of Italy's wine flavors are popular worldwide, Prosecco — made in cities like Treviso and Vicenza — is one of the most famous exports due to its affordability and delicate taste.
- Spain - 20,815,000 hl
If you have ever enjoyed a nice glass of Cava or Sherry, you have Spain to thank. This country exported more than 20.8 million hectoliters of wine in 2023, the second-highest volume of any country on our list.
Castilla-La Mancha is Spain's most prominent wine region, located southeast of Madrid. It covers around 300,000 ha and is responsible for around a third of all wine production in the country.
- France - 12,667,000 hl
France has always been well-regarded in the wine export industry, as evidenced by its position on our ranking. The USA and the UK are among the biggest importers of French wines, accounting for a hefty percentage of the 12,667,000 hectoliters exported during 2023.
Cody Candee, CEO and Founder at Bounce gives tips on what to look for if you’re planning a wine-lovers trip:
“If you're a wine lover planning a wine-tasting trip, here are some things you might want to keep in mind based on our findings:
“If you are looking for affordability and budget is a consideration, Portugal and Argentina stand out for offering excellent wines at inexpensive prices. Portugal, in particular, combines quality with cost-effectiveness, making it an excellent choice for those looking to explore wines without breaking the bank. Argentina is also an attractive option, especially if you're interested in high-quality wines at a fraction of the cost in European destinations.
“If you want to experience the culture and history of vineyards, then France is a must-visit. The country’s long-standing winemaking tradition is reflected in its diverse wine regions, each with unique offerings. From the Champagne region’s sparkling wines to the rich reds of Bordeaux and Burgundy, France provides a deep dive into the world of wine.
“If you are searching for a more unique experience, then lesser-known wine-tasting destinations like Georgia and Hungary are great locations for your next trip. These countries offer distinct wine varieties, including ones that use the Saperavi or Furmint grapes, which you may not encounter elsewhere.”
Methodology
Data was collected on 13/08/2024.
We used the International Organisation of Vine and Wine to find the following data for each country in 2023:
- Wine production
- Wine consumption
- Wine export volume
- Vineyard size
The 2023 data was unavailable for factors of the following countries, so 2022 figures were used instead:
- Canada - wine production, vineyard size
- United Kingdom - wine production, vineyard size
- Georgia - wine consumption
- Moldova - wine consumption
- Japan - vineyard size
- Switzerland - vineyard size
We used the World Bank to find each country's most recent population and surface area figures. We converted each country's surface area from square kilometers to hectares.
We divided each country's wine production by its population to calculate wine production per person. We then repeated this calculation to find wine consumption per person and vineyard size as a percentage of its county’s surface area.
We used Numbeo to find the average cost of a mid-range bottle of wine in each country. We converted each price into USD, GBP, and EUR using XE to calculate the exchange rates.
We used TripAdvisor to find the number of ‘wine tasting’ results in each country.
We divided the number of wine-tasting tours by each country’s population before multiplying this by 1,000,000 to calculate the number of wine-tasting tours per million people.
Finally, we used the wine-related factors (production per person, consumption per person, export volume, vineyard size as a percentage of surface area, cost of a bottle, and wine-tasting tours per million people) and normalized each factor out of 10 before taking an average of those scores to get our overall score.